Mouthpiece for woodwind instruments



Oct. 10, 1950 V H. CHANCE 2,525,523

uou'mrmcs FOR woonwmo INSTRUMENTS Filed April 23, 1948 FIGJ.

INVEN TOR BY ATTORNEY Patented Qct. 10, 1950 IMOUTVHPIECE FOR WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS Harry Chance, Birmingham, England Application April 23, 1948, Serial No. 22,739 In Great Britain May 20, 1947 3 Claims.

This invention relates to wind-operated musical instruments, such for instance as saxophones or clarinets, the object of the invention being to provide an improved mouthpiece.

According to the present invention I provide a mouthpiece for a wind-operated musical instrument comprising a tubular part at one end for engagement with the instrument, a body part having a flat or other surface extending along one side from the tubular part to the opposite end, this surface being adapted to receive a reed, the inlet end of the mouthpiece being of wedge shape, formed on one side by the said surface and on the opposite side by a surface which is inclined thereto, the opening through the tubular part being extended rearwardly through the body of the mouthpiece and terminating in an elongated slot in the flat or other surface beneath the reed so that the wedge-shaped portion forms a channel, and this channel being provided with a restriction situated in advance of the inlet end.

Preferably the restriction is situated about midway between the inlet end of the mouthpiece and the opposite end of the slot in the fiat or other surface, and it may be formed by thickening the lower wall of the wedge-shaped portion locally.

The upper surface of the thickened portion may be of V shape, or approximately so, and the line formed by the angle of the V may be slightly inclined upwardly and forwardly, or approximately parallel to the axis of the tubular part.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a plan view;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view:

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 3; and

Figure 7 is a section on the line of Figure 3.

In the construction illustrated the mouthpiece is made of moulded material, or it may be made of metal, and it is provided with a tubular portion l0 adapted to push into or onto the end of the instrument. The mouthpiece further comprises a body portion II on the upper side of which is a flat surface I2, or a surface which is fiat for the major part of its length.

The entrance portion I3 of the mouthpiece is of wedge shape, the upper side 14 being formed by a continuation of the flat H but curved downwardly, and the opposite side being formed by a surface l5 which is inclined sharply to the part I4. The exterior surface of the part I5 is curved in section, as shown at [6 in Figure 5.

The opening I! in the tubular part I0 is extended rearwardly and is then directed upwardly so that it terminates in an elongated slot [8 in the surfaces l2 and M.

A restriction is provided in the lower wall of this inlet portion, the restriction being formed by a local thickening of the material, as shown at IS, the upper surface of the thickened portion being of approximately V shape, as shown at 20, and the angle 2| of the V being either inclined upwardly in a forward direction, or approximately parallel to the axis of the tubular part ll.

The effect of providing the restriction near the entrance end of the mouthpiece is to improve the playing qualities of the instrument by modulating the overtones so that they do not clash with the fundamental note being played. The modulation of the overtones or higher harmonics of the fundamental note by which they are pitched slightly sharper than hitherto is caused by-the form of the restriction.

A reed 22 is secured to the surface l2 and extends over the slot l8,

What I claim then is:

1. In a mouthpiece for a wind-operated musical instrument having an inclined wall near the forward end thereof, side walls and an opening opposite said inclined wall over which the reed is placed, an inwardly directed projection of V shape cross section formed integrally with the inclined wall of the mouthpiece, the side walls of said projection diverging towards the opening opposite the inclined wall of the mouthpiece.

2. In a mouthpiece for a wind-operated musical instrument having an inclined wall near the forward end thereof, side walls and an opening opposite said inclined wall over which the reed is placed, an inwardly directed projection of V shape cross section formed integrally with the inclined wall of the mouthpiece, said projection being disposed longitudinally of the mouthpiece, the line formed by the angle of the V being inclined towards the forward end of the mouthpiece and towards the opening formed therein opposite the inclined wall, and the side walls of said projection diverging toward the opening opposite the inclined wall of the mouthpiece.

3. In a mouthpiece for a wind-operated musical instrument having an inclined wall near the forward end thereof, side walls and an opening op- 3 posite said inclined wall over which the reed is placed, and inwardly directed projection of V shape cross section formed integrally with the inclined wall of the mouthpiece, said projection being disposed longitudinally of the mouthpiece and midway of the ends of the opening of the mouthpiece, the line formed by the angle of the V being inclined towards the forward end of the mouthpiece and towards the opening formed therein and the side walls of said projection diverging toward the opening opposite the inclined wall of the mouthpiece.

HARRY CHANCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,181,880 Fauss Dec. 5, 1939 2,397,593 Brilhart Apr. 2, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 655,634 France Apr. 1929 

